This is a movie that I seem to like even more as I think about it... I'm gonna try and get some friends together so I can see it a 2nd time. The wife won't go (doesn't believe in re-watching movies) so I gots to get a posse together.
Well, I finally got around to see it and it met my expectations and failed to meet it's potential on some levels.. The efx and visuals were stunning and that alone was worth the price of admission. The na'vi looked very good, especially in light of a CGI background. I thought Gollum in LOTR looked better, but he definitely benefited from a physical world backdrop. I don't think it's a game-changer, but certainly a welcome evolution in film-making. To me, the 3D was still on the gimmick side, but was nice in seeing the depth of the forest imagery. The movie seemed a little too slow-paced in the beginning and parts of the middle and then too rushed for tie-ins and pay-offs at the end. Also, I believe the movie timeline should have been a little longer.
As far as casting, I thought that the roles were a good fit - BUT not Michelle Rodriguez (I don't know what that's called, but it certainly isn't acting).
The dialogue was extremely lacking depending on the target audience. It seemed like the demographic they were searching for was the 8-14 age range. It was chessy, uncaptivating, and unnecessary.
On to the story. As I assumed, the story was predictable from just the trailers. Aside from the exploration and intricacies of the culture and the world, the script shouted an eco message and, subtle in comparison, socio-political message. The story was unoriginal and, frankly, I would consider embarrassing for a 15 yr. in development movie. The plot couldn't have taken more than a couple weeks to come up with.
The fist fight was so cliche'....something that PJ in ROTK left out for this simple fact.
In summation, I would have easily seen this movie on mute - the visuals were that stunning.
EFX/Visual - 9/10
Story - 5.5/10
Longevity (classic) - 6/10
This will be a one-time viewing, but will buy the blu-ray.
Squids are un-related, but we do have four limbs, breath through our mouths, and have two eyes just like Cheetahs, Rhinoceros, and just about every other Earth land animal throughout history.
S***, even the F'n Na'vi have the same layout.
If the Na'vi are related to any of the native animals (they must be since they have the same nerve connection plug thing in their hair) they should also follow the same exact pattern as the other animals, but they don't.
I felt like I got my money's worth when I paid for my Avatar IMAX 3D ticket last weekend, but I won't a second time. Digital 3D on a regular screen will do just fine. I'll just have to sit a bit closer than usual to marvel at the pores.
One of the greatest things you can do when going to see a great film the second time is to bring a person (or people) who hasn't seen it. It's especially nice when they're aren't as knee-deep in nerd culture and cinema minutiae as we forum dwellers usually are. When we saw it on Saturday my gf loved it and didn't care if it was Dances with Wolves on an alien planet.
I'm the type of audience member that likes to glance at people's faces now and then during a great film. You can tell if they are really enjoying it just by looking at their faces in the dimness of a theater auditorium.
On to the story. As I assumed, the story was predictable from just the trailers. Aside from the exploration and intricacies of the culture and the world, the script shouted an eco message and, subtle in comparison, socio-political message. The story was unoriginal and, frankly, I would consider embarrassing for a 15 yr. in development movie. The plot couldn't have taken more than a couple weeks to come up with.
In summation, I would have easily seen this movie on mute - the visuals were that stunning.
EFX/Visual - 9/10
Story - 5.5/10
Longevity (classic) - 6/10
This will be a one-time viewing, but will buy the blu-ray.
One of the greatest things you can do when going to see a great film the second time is to bring a person (or people) who hasn't seen it. It's especially nice when they're aren't as knee-deep in nerd culture and cinema minutiae as we forum dwellers usually are. When we saw it on Saturday my gf loved it and didn't care if it was Dances with Wolves on an alien planet.
I'm the type of audience member that likes to glance at people's faces now and then during a great film. You can tell if they are really enjoying it just by looking at their faces in the dimness of a theater auditorium.
I am the same way. I love taking someone to a movie I really liked and seeing their reaction to it. I will probably take my father in a couple weeks when the crowds die down. He saw the footage at Avatar day, but pretty much has no clue what it's about otherwise. I am anxious to see his reaction.
If you do see it in IMAX, and you really do have to; make sure to sit middle of the row and about halfway up the rows. Apparently the 3D effect doesn't really work if you are on the sides, etc.
That sounds about right... I was middle; but more off center than I would have liked (even though I was 50 minutes early in Saturday) and the 3D tended to separate much easier than other flicks I've seen recently.
I plan on seeing it in a regular 3D showing which hopefully isn't as susceptible to that.
Saw it twice over the weekend (Reg. screen in digital 3D and BabyMax 3D). One viewing was free, so I had no problems seeing it two times. So my thoughts...
Visually it was fantastic eye candy. There were times I was sucked in and felt like I was within certain scenes, while other times I felt outside of scenes but was still happy with the depth being shown (kind of like a moving view master, if that makes sense). From the vegetation to the pores on characters faces, the CG in the film was stunning. The ONLY way to see this film is in digital 3D IMO. There really is no point to see it in 2D.
The downfall of this movie (for me) that prevented it from being a home run was the story and in some instances acting.
Story
Unfortunately the story came off as a mis-mash of stories I've seen/read many times before that weren't presented in a newer/more interesting way (for me). That being the case, I found the storyline HIGHLY predictable and couldn't engage with the characters as it was evident right from the get go where it would all lead. It's such a shame, that such a visually stimulating film could have such a bland plot.
Plus some of the plot holes...
Trudy (Michelle Rodriguez) decides to abort firing at 'hometree' and yet is somehow still walking around the base free and clear. Wouldn't she have been in lock-up as well for not following orders? Being insubordinant?
What was the rare metal used for? Why was it so valued?
Why did Sully never tell 'his people' about what the 'sky people' had in mind until they were right at their doorstep?
Acting
Michelle Rodriguez - What. Were. They. Thinking. Her character seemed just plopped in there for one and her acting (as is almost always the case) was atrocious.
Sigourney Weaver - Good at times, but many cringe worthy moments.
Giovanna Ribisi - Unconvincing as a money hungry, huge egotistic bad guy.
I was only calling you silly for telling naysayers to wait and see when you yourself weren't. I still stand by that. People are allowed to speculate good or bad. I fully expected it to be good, but I wouldn't fault anybody for being skeptical.
It must be too hard to understand. There weren't any haters (Shai was trying to cause a stir, though). Just rabid fanboys and those taking the wait-and-see approach.
Trudy (Michelle Rodriguez) decides to abort firing at 'hometree' and yet is somehow still walking around the base free and clear. Wouldn't she have been in lock-up as well for not following orders? Being insubordinant?
What was the rare metal used for? Why was it so valued?
Why did Sully never tell 'his people' about what the 'sky people' had in mind until they were right at their doorstep?
It was a McGuffin, which meant it was unimportant what Unobtainium did, just that Humans wanted it, and the Na'vi were in the way, but I did just find the Avatar Wikipedia just a minutes ago which said this:
"Unobtanium is a highly valuable mineral found on the moon Pandora which humans mine to save the earth from its energy crisis."
Go here to read the rest:
https://james-camerons-avatar.wikia.com/wiki/Unobtainium
I really want to buy the Avatar: A Confidential Report on the Biological and Social History of Pandora Book. Looks pretty interesting to me.
It was a McGuffin, which meant it was unimportant what Unobtainium did, just that Humans wanted it, and the Na'vi were in the way, but I did just find the Avatar Wikipedia just a minutes ago which said this:
"Unobtanium is a highly valuable mineral found on the moon Pandora which humans mine to save the earth from its energy crisis."
Go here to read the rest:
https://james-camerons-avatar.wikia.com/wiki/Unobtainium
I really want to buy the Avatar: A Confidential Report on the Biological and Social History of Pandora Book. Looks pretty interesting to me.
IMO I would have liked it disclosed in the film. I would have liked to have known what the big deal with it. Instead it just came across as a big mystery that didn't have to be.
Acting
Michelle Rodriguez - What. Were. They. Thinking. Her character seemed just plopped in there for one and her acting (as is almost always the case) was atrocious.
Sigourney Weaver - Good at times, but many cringe worthy moments.
Giovanna Ribisi - Unconvincing as a money hungry, huge egotistic bad guy.
I think the script could be given the blame for being a bit one-note and not giving the actors enough to work with.
I didn't think anything bad about Weaver, and you can sense a bit of regret and that moral grey area from Ribisi's character as the film progresses. Rodriguez's character wasn't really a character though.
I can go through what people found underwhelming about the story, but I myself was distracted enough by the flourishes (courtesy of the sci-fi tropes and Pandora itself) to the story that I felt okay with what we were told.
IMO I would have liked it disclosed in the film. I would have liked to have known what the big deal with it. Instead it just came across as a big mystery that didn't have to be.
I couldn't agree more, I am very familiar with a McGuffin and didn't need everything spelled out for me; but if I am supposed to hate this evil human eco-raping money machine, that was a major plot gap that existed.
Oh and when Sully goes to rally the yet un-mentioned OTHER Na'vi, did anyone else just see that as a very underdeveloped charge of the Rohirrim? That was a huge miss for me. Were these tribes previously peaceful and uniting for the cause of Pandora, what separated them besides their own modes of transport? They were just thrown in to make for a larger scale battle.
Trudy (Michelle Rodriguez) decides to abort firing at 'hometree' and yet is somehow still walking around the base free and clear. Wouldn't she have been in lock-up as well for not following orders? Being insubordinant?
What was the rare metal used for? Why was it so valued?
Why did Sully never tell 'his people' about what the 'sky people' had in mind until they were right at their doorstep?
What was the rare metal used for? Why was it so valued?
What is Gold used for? Why is it so Valued?
Why did Sully never tell 'his people' about what the 'sky people' had in mind until they were right at their doorstep?
He was conflicted by his duty to his superiors and he must have also been frightened to tell the Navi in fear of rejection.
One explination of the first one might be that Quaritch didn't see Judy leaving
